car wont start - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

usp55 · 07-19-2008, 08:01 AM

Out of the blue the other day the car wouldnt start. I have looked at all wired and grounds that i can see. Looked at all fuses. Car simply wont crank, i can here the fuel pump come one for 2 sec then turn the key all the way and nothing. I took the starter off and had it tested and its fine. Bolted it back on and it started up fine. It was late so i waited till the mornign to bolt my ypipe back up - Started it again before i took it off the jacks. When i went to go to work about 2 hours later, nothing. Car wont start. seems like power isnt getting to the starter, anyway to jump the starter?

Im frustrated. Ive been searching alot of posts on a few forums but still dont know what it could be. Neutral saftey switch? , ignition switch?, fusible link? - dont know where they r or how to check them.

i just dont understand how it started twice for me and then nothing....

security light is not on

BigAls87Z28 · 07-19-2008, 08:18 AM

Before you go throwing parts at it....how old is the battery?
Can you jump start it and get it going?
Try jump starting the car. If that gets it going, I would suggest you remove the battery from the car, or take the car to an auto parts place or a service center and have it tested. They will be able to rule out something simple like a battery or starter.

usp55 · 07-19-2008, 08:24 AM

battery is less than a year old. From the volt meter on the dash it looks like i have good power, everything from the radio to the lights works. Starter was tested and worked fine. car even started up twice after i put the starter back on

about 2 weeks ago i started the car at night and noticed alittle smoke coming from the hood after i started the car, i could see the hase in the headlights. I popped the hood and could see any more smoke. Car has ran and started since then. not sure if its related.

just tried to jump it an nothing

Stevoone · 07-19-2008, 09:58 AM

Does the starter click at all when it wont crank?

usp55 · 07-19-2008, 10:08 AM

na no click, so im assuming the starter is not getting power or is poorly grounded. i have to go back to work now but im off tomorrow so im gona drop the exhaust again and look at it. Both wires are tight on the selenoid that i can feel, hard to really see them with the ypipe in place.

also im gona see if i cant jump the starter with a long screw driver when its still on the car.

also i can here a relay clicking by my clove box when i try to start it. normal, what is it? antitheft relay i think from what i have been reading?

Stevoone · 07-19-2008, 01:39 PM

Could be the starter enable relay you hear clicking. The starter grounds through the engine block, if the ground strap to your engine is broken or corroded it could do that but would usually be accompanied by other electrical problems.

ins0mnia24 · 07-19-2008, 05:15 PM

Sounds like your ignition switch in your dash underneath the knee bolster..
If it still isnt starting unhook your coil pack and see if you are getting any power to the coils while trying to start it..
If it is low or no voltage then it is your ignition switch..

Tru2Chevy · 07-19-2008, 07:43 PM

Yea, it does sound like the ignition switch.

- Justin

usp55 · 07-19-2008, 09:42 PM

how hard is it to change out the ingnition switch? I read u have to take out the steering colum to get to it. sound like a PITA.

Im gona pick up a test light and see where im not getting power.

Stevoone · 07-20-2008, 12:16 PM

Haven't done one in awhile, but from what I remember you can do them without removing the column. If you take the nuts/bolts out that support the column the whole thing will drop down far enough to get your hand back to the switch. Should be on the top of the mid-lower part of the column.

IROCdan330 · 07-20-2008, 02:42 PM

Before jumping at an ignition switch be sure to clean your battery terminals good and make sure the positive cable is in good working order. You could be getting proper voltage to the starter but without the right amount of amperage you won't get it to crank, yet everything else in the car will work.

usp55 · 07-20-2008, 02:46 PM

i cleaned the batery cables yesterday and made sure they are tight. i just checks my voltage with my actron scanner, its was at 11.7v and went to 11.3 when i turn the key, no crank of course. everything works in the car but i did notice for some reason my driver side window wont work.

also one site said to check the starter relay, but where is that. I assumed its in the fuse box under the hood but nothing is marked starter realy

usp55 · 07-20-2008, 04:00 PM

ok went out picked up a test light. The smaller wire gets power when i turn the key and the larger wire also has power. No im not an alectrical guy but if the little wire is getting power and its down stream of the everything (relays, fusible links, fuses, ignition switch, etc.) wouldnt that mean that it was the starter or starter solenoid????

usp55 · 07-20-2008, 04:15 PM

ok nother update : just took some 10gauge wire and touched the smaller starter wire to the larger wire trying to gump the starter and nothing! all i got was some ver small sparks. SOOOO... it would be my best guess after all my searching and reading that it is the solenoid...right? so i have to replace the entire starter.

deadtrend1 · 07-20-2008, 05:18 PM

This is the time where I get the 2 Lb. sledge and smack the damn thing to see if its the starter.

edpontiac91 · 07-20-2008, 05:55 PM

Last year I went into my garage and my Formula would not start. I kept on turning the key until finally it caught. I took it to Mike at Watchung Garage in North Plainfield where he put in one of his "special"(better windings etc.) rebuilt starters. Took the car home and parked it outside and shut it off. About 15 minutes later I went to put it into the garage and it would not turn over. Almost an hour later I tried it again and it kicked right over. Brought it back to the service station and he put in another "special" rebuilt starter. Worked fine until I went to Raceway Park, shut it off and went to start it and nothing. Again, wait an hour and it starts. Went back to Mike and told him to put in a BRAND NEW starter. Never had a problem since. Try a BRAND NEW starter and see what happens. How old is the one you have? Can't hurt if it has been in there for awhile!

usp55 · 07-20-2008, 06:24 PM

ok im a calm person i really but i have limits - picked up a starter from autozone and im putting it on and the starter shifts and drops about 2 inches till it stops on the car frame. i hear a bolt and washer hit the ground, the larger bolt snapted in two.

ill take it back tomorrow cause they close at 7, right when it broke

oh and on the old one, the same larger bolt was so loose and wobbly, i hopeing that was the problem asnd it wasnt contacting something correctly. Well i find out tomorrow morning

sweetbmxrider · 07-21-2008, 12:05 AM

it does sound like the solenoid on the starter went bad. you have an aftermarket exhaust setup right? like y pipe and headers? you may have killed it from excessive heat. just a thought. they do make shields and such you could bolt up around it. sucks about the starter bolt, most stores carry them though.

usp55 · 07-21-2008, 01:01 AM

yea im running pacesetters but they are ceramic coated, ive touched them about 15 min after full op temp and they were cool. I bought a heat shield wrap today too becuase if i drove it for a while and shut it down to get gas or something it would be hard to start. The wrap should take care of that i hope because there is no direct heatsheild for these starters.

anyway im hopeing they just give me a new starter but if they fight it how do i change that bollt? is it just a stud?

usp55 · 07-21-2008, 10:57 AM

got the new starter in and she started right up better than before. The old starter had to be bad. Thanks for your help and suggestions, who would have thought it would actually be the starter. lol